New World Blues
by pagad
Summary: An epistolary tale of the post-Second Battle for Hoover Dam world. The story is a collection of fictional in-universe documents that explores what the Mojave looks like after a female, House-aligned Courier achieves victory over the Legion at Hoover Dam, and the political and societal developments that ensue. Very much in progress!
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath and Reorganisation

**Chapter 1: Aftermath and Reorganisation**

_Though the military threat posed by Caesar's Legion waned in the immediate aftermath of the battle, the NCR was beset by problems in the months that followed. The overly-ambitious project of expansion pursued by the administration of Aaron Kimball ground to a halt with the withdrawal of NCR military forces from the Mojave Wasteland as Robert House consolidated his grip on New Vegas._

- excerpt from _Ain't That A Kick In The Head: Trials And Tribulations Of The New California Republic After The Second Battle For Hoover Dam_, by J. Horacek

"_The evacuation of McCarran was perhaps the most complicated troop withdrawal, from a logistical perspective. Mr. House had given us a tight deadline to work to, and he made it very clear that any remaining military personnel would be treated as hostile after it had passed. Given the number of Securitrons ringing the base, he wasn't bluffing. It's just about possible we had the firepower to shoot our way out if we had to, but we would have taken heavy losses. Colonel Hsu deserves most of the credit for getting us all out; I heard that he was on the very last troop-truck out of there."_

- Maj. L. Dhatri (ret.), as quoted in _Patrolling the Mojave: The NCR in Nevada_ by Thomas Brown

_PRESIDENT KIMBALL RESIGNS _

- headline of _The New Reno Tribune_

"_I have no desire to alienate the Republic. I only wish to lay claim to that which is mine, and safeguard it from would-be conquerors. My able lieutenant saved the lives of thousands of the NCR's soldiers through her actions in the battle; its leadership would do well to remember that. Henceforth, our relationship will be built on mutual trust and respect. Together, we can do great things."_

- the public statement of Robert House upon ratification of the New Vegas Treaty (2282)

"_I'm Mr. New Vegas, and my, have I got news for you. Trading caravans passing near to the area of land known as "The Divide" have reported rockets rising on trails of fire from the region, whilst caravans operating in the East have reported that Legion positions have been utterly devastated. One described it as, quote: "It was like looking into hell." And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight: It's Dean Domino, the real deal himself, singing live from The Tops..."_

- excerpt from a_ Radio New Vegas_ broadcast

"_I looked back, just once. Saw the Fort on fire, robots swarming over it like ants. And then I thought the Legion was truly finished."_

- "Paulus"

"_Now, I ain't got much love for that hound dog in the Lucky 38, or his pet whore neither, but there's no sense in dyin' to try and prevent the tide comin' in. I tried to tell the King, but he wouldn't listen. Stubborn as a brahmin, he was, for all the good it did him. I got the hell out of Dodge while I could; it was clear what was gonna go down."_

- excerpt from an interview with Pacer Burton for _King's Gambit: Freeside, A History_, by Kate Freedman

"_My reaction? Shock. Absolute shock...nobody in Arizona really believed that the Legion could be broken in the field. Set back temporarily, sure. When that happened, heads rolled – everybody remembers the Burned Man, even if they daren't speak his name. But routed and fleeing? No. Legate Lanius, the Monster of the East...it's hard to believe that the Courier met him on the field and bested him with words. I met the Courier once, you know. The audacity of a woman – A woman! – walking into Caesar's fort and waking an army beneath his feet, then walking out again...Jesus, I have no idea how she did it."_

- Dale Barton, as quoted in _Bear and Bull: An Oral History of the NCR-Legion War_

_REFUGEES FLOODING WEST FROM ARIZONA_

- headline of _The New Reno Tribune_

"_Reports that refugees are abandoning Arizona en masse and flooding towards the NCR are not, as initially hoped, evidence that the citizenry under Legion hegemony would up sticks and move West once freed of Caesar's yoke. Stories have begun filtering in of untold death and destruction east of the Colorado. Urgently recommend that we get first-hand reliable information of what is happening in Arizona."_

- report from Office of Army Intelligence field agent stationed at the Mojave Outpost

_Disgraced general Lee Oliver was found dead in his quarters yesterday by a legal aide. Preliminary reports indicated that the general shot himself in the head with a 10mm pistol. The general was due to appear before an inquiry to explain why the NCR had lost possession of the Hoover Dam and all its military holdings in the Mojave Desert..._

-excerpt from article in _The Times of Arroyo_

"_The Courier, man. I saw her fighting on the dam itself. Me an' the rest of Charlie team were pinned down by some of Caesar's fuckers when she an' a coupla those Securitrons just laid into 'em. Man, I never seen anything like it. Didn't even fuckin' pause, just blew through 'em like they were nothing and strode on. She earned that fuckin' dam, man. Saved all of our asses."_

- PFC W. Tucker, as quoted in_ Bear and Bull: An Oral History of the NCR-Legion War_

"_The golden giant and the Courier with the Old World flag on her back. It was quite a sight, let me tell you. The Courier was knee-deep in Legion corpses by then. I wasn't close enough to hear their exchange; what passed between them is lost to history. Eventually, Lanius just turned his back on the Courier and walked off. I could see the Courier's face just clearly enough to see a cold smile. It chilled me to the bone."_

- the testimony of Ranger R. L. Jenkins

TV PRESENTER: Ladies and gentlemen, I am joined here tonight by our former president, Aaron Kimball.

applause

TV PRESENTER: Mr. Kimball, thank you for joining us tonight.

AARON KIMBALL: No problem, Anthony, it's – it's a pleasure to be here. And please, call me Aaron.

TV PRESENTER: Mr. Kimball, you are the first president in the history of the New California Republic to resign before your term of office has finished. Is there anything you'd like to say about that?

AARON KIMBALL: Well, I accomplished what I set out to achieve. I certainly don't view my time in the highest office of our country as a failure. Mistakes – mistakes were made, I'm sure. I believe that history will look on my presidency kindly. I've always seen myself as a man of the people, and if the people wanted me to step down, well, I'd oblige them.

TV PRESENTER: What do you say to those who have accused your administration of pursuing imperialist ambitions, that you endangered the Republic for short-term opportunistic land-grabs?

AARON KIMBALL: Well, Ant – can I call you Ant? – my answer to those people would be, well, ask yourselves, has the Republic ever been as safe or as prosperous as it was during my presidency? I – I merely sought to consolidate the gains that we made in the Mojave after the successful military campaigns, of which I was a part, that I believed should be safeguarded for the future of this fine country, the greatest country in the world.

TV PRESENTER: But it was all in vain, surely, when Robert House pushed –

AARON KIMBALL (interrupting): Can I – can I stop you there, please. We've done extremely well out of our renewed relationship with Mr. House. He's got Hoover Dam working at close to 100% capacity, he's turned New Vegas into a highly beneficial trading partner – if we've lost anything, it's because of the short-sightedness of the late General Oliver and his so-called "strategies".

TV PRESENTER: It was your administration that appointed Lee Oliver as overall military commander of NCR forces stationed in the Mojave –

AARON KIMBALL (interrupting): At the time he seemed a prudent choice, yes –

TV PRESENTER: – over recommendations that Chief Hanlon take the post –

AARON KIMBALL (interrupting): Chief – Chief Hanlon was deemed, um, unsuitable to the post. I thought that, all things considered, his masterful grasp of tactics better served the Republic in the field, I didn't think that he would be well suited to the politics of the role. General Oliver, whatever other faults he had, was a politically-savvy operator, who I thought would be better at handling its, er, complexities.

TV PRESENTER: Okay, let's talk about something else. Do you think that the NCR's image has been damaged by its role in the Mojave?

AARON KIMBALL: No, no of course not. We came to the Mojave in the interests of spreading democracy and the rule of law, who can argue that – that's a bad thing?

- excerpt from the transcript of_ Politics Today With Anthony Carstein_

_Posthuman Rights Bill Passes In Wake of Edwards v. New California Republic Army_

- headline of _The Boneyard Post_

_The initial withdrawal of NCR and Legion forces from the region now known only as "The Divide" was overlooked at the time. On the NCR side, the ragged soldiers that emerged from the initial cataclysm there were reluctant to talk about what they had witnessed, and military attention was soon diverted away back to the Mojave. Records of the survivors indicate an unusually high rate of suicides and alcoholism. As for the Legion, surviving reports on the matter have universally been curt and minimal. Whether this was due to typical Legion stoicism or a similar lack of desire to report on what happened there in detail is a matter of some speculation. In any case, the matter received renewed interest in the aftermath of the Second Battle for Hoover Dam._

- excerpt from _The Grapple For The West: The NCR-Legion War_, by L. Bishop and A. Kohlberg

_"We'd just finished mopping up a group of Legion scouts when the Divide exploded. This was before that region became known as "The Divide", of course. This was what gave it its name. It was nightmarish, absolutely nightmarish...it was all chaos and confusion, but I remember one incident particularly vividly. A soldier – not one of mine, thankfully – stumbled out from the dust and the rocks, his skin hanging off him, his flesh red and raw. He was still alive, and screaming...I had three men hold him down, and ordered the medic to do what she could. Eventually, she just looked up at me and shook her head. She gave him a full syringe of Med-X, didn't do anything. I couldn't stand it any longer, and shot him point-blank in the forehead. The howling didn't stop...the rising winds shrieked at us with the voices of dead men..."_

- excerpt from the debriefing of Col. M. Royez (ret.) after the initial NCR withdrawal from the area referred to as "The Divide"

"_Profligate supply-line severed, heavy casualties sustained. Further action unnecessary; recommend pulling all remaining forces from area. Ave Caesar."_

- radio communiqué from centurion Gaius Magnus regarding the incident that created the Divide, recovered from archived Legion reports

"_Ariadne Sikorsky was sworn in as President of the New California Republic this morning in front of the Capitol Building. In her inaugural address, President Sikorsky stressed that her presidency would be a caretaker role until the next presidential election, though she did not rule out accepting the nomination of her party. The president went on to say that her administration would focus on drawing-down NCR military forces deployed outside the Republic. This came as no surprise to those who noted the often tempestuous confrontations that characterised her relationship with President Kimball during her time as Vice President."_

- newsreader for Republic Broadcasting Corporation, _The News At Twelve_

"_For too long, our soldiers have bled and died outside our borders for the sake of those who resented their presence. For too long, we have been engaged in military adventures costing millions of taxpayer dollars that have drained the growth of our economy and the vitality of our nation. For too long, we have been focused on the expansion of our territory at the expense of our societal needs. Well, I say: no more. From this point, we will focus on strengthening our people and reinvigorating our economy. We are no longer needed in the Mojave: the power and water of Hoover Dam flows to our cities in abundance, and we have a formidable ally in the shape of Robert House. Our eastern borders are stronger, not weaker, for our withdrawal."_

- excerpt from the inaugural address of President Ariadne Sikorsky

"_Ariadne wasn't naïve, she knew that the threat from the East remained. She was, however, determined to avoid the mistakes of her predecessor. In a way, she felt herself in a privileged position: she could use her interim administration as a test-bed for her policies, and if they were successful and popular she could campaign for re-election on that basis. If they didn't work out, well, so what? She was only there as a caretaker, trying to keep things in order for the next president. It was a canny bit of political manoeuvring."_

- excerpt from _Political Animal: A Memoir_, by former Presidential press secretary Jane Prince

"_The choice of newly-elected Senator Hanlon for Secretary of Defence was a smart one, in my opinion. The senator had been riding high on a wave of popularity over his public denunciation of Kimball's hawkishness, and his former role as head of the Rangers provided the president with a seasoned and experienced advisor with regards to military matters. The fruits of their relationship can be seen in the expansion of the Rangers even as the regular military began demobilising thousands of regular troops after the Brotherhood of Steel had finally been brought to heel."_

- excerpt from an interview with James Nesbitt, former Chief of Staff, conducted by _Times of Arroyo_ journalist Frank Marshal

_TREATY SIGNED WITH THE BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL_

- headline of _The New Reno Tribune_

_The destruction of the Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel, rumoured to be on the orders of Robert House, finally convinced the elders of the remaining Western chapters that further conflict with the New California Republic was both useless and ultimately detrimental to the Brotherhood's survival. No longer overstretched and undermanned by the occupation of the Mojave, NCR military forces were soon able to bring their full might to bear against the Brotherhood. Bit by bit, the Brotherhood was being ground down inexorably as the NCR began deploying large quantities of energy weapons against them in a relentless campaign against their remaining bunkers. The mediation of ex-Scribe Veronica Santangelo of the Followers of the Apocalypse was invaluable in overcoming the bitterness and suspicion instilled by the brutal conflict, and the ensuing pact with the Republic allowed the Brotherhood to emerge freely for the first time in years. _

- excerpt from _Ain't That A Kick In The Head: Trials And Tribulations Of The New California Republic After The Second Battle For Hoover Dam_, by J. Horacek

"_I expressed my concerns that such a rapid draw-down of the Army could lead to leaving us vulnerable to outside threats. The President nodded, and said that she had carefully considered the most responsible way to reduce our forces whilst securing the Republic's borders. To compensate for the reduced manpower available to the Army, the Rangers would be expanded and used to continually scout out territory outside of direct NCR control, which would allow us to retain a good picture of what was going on in the outside world whilst making it clear to everyone outside our borders that the NCR was ending its expansion for now. Still, the radical step to shift the Army to a volunteer-only force took me aback. She said, and Secretary Hanlon agreed, that what we stood to gain in professionalism and training balanced out what we lost in sheer numbers. I remained unconvinced, but at least the administration had some kind of a plan in place."_

- excerpt from _Soldier, Shut Up And Soldier_ by Gen. James Hsu (ret.)

_"OAI [Office of Army Intelligence] pitched a fit about the Divide thing, let me tell you. Someone had figured out that there was an old US military facility there and used it to hit Legion positions in Arizona. Worse, OAI hadn't the faintest inkling that a) there was actually a pre-War missile base there and b) it had been activated and used offensively. Lucky for us that it was the Legion that fell foul of that someone's wrath and not the NCR, or we'd have gotten a dose of instant sunshine and nobody could have done anything about it. Despite the military draw-down and the reduction of NCR military operations outside of NCR territory, the Sikorsky administration agreed that the Divide needed investigating immediately. It was also agreed that this information needed to be kept quiet, both to avoid a panic and to prevent alerting the NCR's enemies that such a thing existed. The world's only just beginning to recover from the Old World's mistakes; history cannot be allowed to repeat itself as it did in Arizona."_

- anonymous Followers of the Apocalypse source within the Office of Army Intelligence


	2. Chapter 2: Recovery and Consolidation

**Chapter 2: Recovery and Consolidation**

_++Obstructive citizens detected._

_++Scanning for weapons..._

_++Multiple small-calibre firearms detected. Multiple improvised weapons detected. One AER9 laser rifle detected. Threat analysis: Minor. Clothing analysis of armed citizens indicates membership of "Kings" street gang._

_++Discrimination programme active. Designating armed citizens as hostile._

_++Intimidation mode active. _

_++Verbal warning to disperse issued by Securitron #347D-D._

_++Increase in auditory output. Analysing..._

_++Hostile language detected. Chance of dispersal low. _

_++Combat mode active. Weapons armed._

_++Aerial thermal points detected. Thermal points identified as improvised incendiary weapons._

_++9mm submachinegun deployed. Targeting incendiary weapons. Single shot mode active. Firing..._

_++Targets neutralised._

_++Contents of incendiary weapons splashing on citizens. Increase in auditory output. Analysing..._

_++Vocalisations indicate highly negative emotional and physical responses to flaming liquid. Attitudes towards Securitron squadron unlikely to be positive._

_++Unarmed citizens fleeing. Remaining citizens all designated hostiles. _

_++Final verbal warning to disperse and threat of lethal force issued by __Securitron #347D-D__._

_++9mm rounds impact on Securitron __#347D-D, Securitron #315D-D, Securitron #312D-D, Securitron #378D-D, Securitron #341D-D, Securitron #390D-D. No damage reported._

_++20 gauge buckshot impacts on Securitron #321D-D, Securitron #356D-D, Securitron #328D-D, Securitron #352D-D. No damage reported._

_++10mm rounds impact on __Securitron #313D-D, Securitron #373D-D, Securitron #339D-D, Securitron #304D-D, Securitron #310D-D, Securitron #303D-D. Securitron #310D-D reports damaged arm servo._

_++.357 magnum rounds impact on Securitron #383D-D, Securitron #347D-D, Securitron #301D-D, Securitron #362D-D, Securitron #384D-D, Securitron #371D-D, Securitron #309D-D, Securitron #307D-D. Securitron #362D-D reports monitor failure._

_++Laser beam impacts on Securitron #374D-D. Securitron #374D-D offline._

_++Gatling laser deployed. Targeting hostiles. Firing..._

_++Grenade launcher deployed. Targeting hostiles. Firing..._

_++Missile launcher deployed. Targeting hostiles. Firing..._

_++All targets neutralised._

_++No hostiles detected._

- Telemetry from Securitron #321D-D during the Battle of Freeside

"_The overall mood in military circles regarding the Legion was positive. Though the nuclear destruction of Legion-held areas in Arizona unsettled a lot of the top brass, it was generally felt that the biggest existential threat to the NCR had been neutralised. This was, in my opinion, a short-sighted and dangerous attitude, for two reasons: one, it assumed that the agency that had destabilised that region had no further interest in acting again, and two, it assumed that the Legion no longer represented a threat of any significance. Too many people thought that the Legion would tear itself apart after the twin blows of decisive defeat in Nevada and the devastation wreaked upon its home areas, and that it could not possibly recover from these blows in any meaningful capacity."_

- Excerpt from _Soldier, Shut Up And Soldier_ by Gen. James Hsu (ret.)

"_I was in her bunker when the ceasefire order came through. This poor dumb private, having drawn the short straw, comes stumbling through the door with some paper in his hand, walks nervously over to the colonel and gives the shakiest salute I have ever seen..._[_mimics a squeaky voice_]_ 'Colonel Moore, sir, this came through for you...' She snatches it off him, opens it up, gives it a quick glance...does a double take, and rounds on the poor bastard. 'Is this a joke?' she yells. The private doesn't say anything, just stands there and looks like he wants the ground to swallow him. I actually saw her hand flex towards her sidearm. Never seen her that angry, and I was there when she got the order to pull out of Hoover Dam. I guess hunting down and killing the Brotherhood meant everything to her after that."_

- Maj. J. Rodriguez (ret.), as quoted in _Bear and Bull: An Oral History of the NCR-Legion War_

[Large image of a man in Ranger uniform looking back over his shoulder, wielding a large and ornate revolver]

DO **YOU** HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A _**RANGER? **_

_RANGERS:_

are the NCR's first and last line of defence against threats foreign and domestic;

are physically capable of defeating the most fearsome beasts of the wastes;

are patriots committed to furthering the goals of the NCR at any and all costs;

are fearless in the face of overwhelming odds!

FOR **YOUR** CHANCE TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THESE MOST ELITE SOLDIERS, _**APPLY TODAY!**_

- recruitment poster

"_Eh, you ask me, the place has improved without the Kings pretending they run the joint. I'll take Securitrons over some jumped-up little shit in a leather jacket any day. Customers don't get mugged on the way to and from Vegas any more, which is great for business here in Freeside too. Whenever I see some idiot try and rob or kill some unsuspecting tourist, which happens less and less frequently nowadays, it tends to end with a gatling laser surprise. They even tidy the bodies away double quick, too! As for the shocked and traumatised tourist from Vault City? Well, it usually puts them in the mood for a drink or ten! The Wrangler's seeing at least twice as many customers as it used to, and we've got our own...unique...attractions that you can't find in The Strip. Ghouls, cowboys, a cowboy ghoul...I mean, if some disgusting pervert's turned on by robots, the Wrangler's a better bet than Gomorrah! Not that we get many of those freaks. Ugh. Imagine being fondled and caressed by cold steel fingers, a gentle monotone voice buzzing in your ear to 'assume the position'...uh, creepy, or what? But, y'know. We've got a sexbot, and I may as well be a businessman about it, heh."_

- Excerpt from an interview with James Garret for _King's Gambit: Freeside, A History_, by Kate Freedman

"_Citizens of New Vegas and the Mojave! This is Robert House, President, sole proprietor and CEO of the New Vegas Strip. I have an proposal to make in the interests of mutual profit. I am willing to buy any and all robots that you are willing to sell for the sum of 5,000 caps per robot. This is the baseline price; it may increase based upon the condition and value of the robot in question. Though I am primarily interested in utility robots such as Mr. Handies and Protectrons, I will accept military models as part of this offer. If you are in possession of a robot that you wish to sell, simply present yourself and your robot at the Lucky 38 casino entrance and declare your intention to the Securitron that challenges you. Prospective sellers will find the 2,000 cap credit check usually necessary to enter the Strip waived provided that they are accompanied by their robot. Until the purchase is complete, sellers may be reassured that no contractual obligation is placed upon them, and they may withdraw their robot from sale until they have been paid the agreed amount in full, at which time I consider the robot my property."_

- radio broadcast from the Lucky 38, carried on _Radio New Vegas_

_Lanius was bellowing at the top of his voice, but still Vulpes faced him down. I thought about the insane courage that that must have taken, or perhaps it was indifference. "Caesar is dead," he said quietly. Lanius fell silent all of a sudden. Vulpes has this way with people. He has a hypnotic quality to his voice, it made you want to listen to what he has to say. It is what made him such an effective frumentarius. Even Lanius, it seemed, was not immune. _

"_Caesar is dead!" he said again, loudly, so that all present could hear. "The Legion finds itself in disarray, battered by profligate weapons from the skies. This is the true test of our strength. Mars has provided us with a crucible upon which we either shatter into pieces or are reforged again, our strength renewed. Without a Caesar, without structure, without organisation, we will fall into disunited chaos." _

_Lanius spoke again, then. "And who will claim the mantle of Caesar but me? It is mine by rights! I am the Legate! I am the future of the Legion!" Vulpes turned towards him then. "No," he said. "You, Lanius, are a blunt instrument. A useful weapon to spearhead a war, but the wrong tool to reconstruct the Legion. No. The Legion will disintegrate in your hands like a man grasping fistfuls of sand." Lanius drew that monstrous blade of his then, but Vulpes stopped him dead with a hand signal. Ten centurions stepped forward, separating Lanius from Vulpes, guns pointed at the Legate. "Either the myth of Lanius continues to stalk the nightmares of the Dissolute, or it dies here and now. The Legate you are, and the Legate you shall remain...under _my_ leadership. If you have finished wasting time, we have work to do."_

- Excerpt from the journal of "Paulus"

"_Good evening, I'm Mr. New Vegas, and may I say you're all looking particularly special tonight. Here's the news. Travelers are advised to avoid the REPCONN headquarters. Reports are coming in of a group of robobrains scouring the area in search of, quote, 'lost technology'. The RNV reporter who gathered this information was then subjected to a series of tests, which according to him were, quote, 'extremely invasive.' This news was brought to you by Jacobstown. Jacobstown: Your friendly neighbourhood super mutants."_

- Excerpt from a _Radio New Vegas_ broadcast

_**WANTED: HUNTERS**_

_The Mojave Construction Company is seeking intrepid hunters of dangerous wildlife to actively seek out and destroy nests of giant creatures that may threaten its construction teams and robots. Hunters must be prepared to face deathclaws, cazadores and nightstalkers in the pursuit of their duties. The Mojave Construction Company accepts no liability for injuries sustained under contract. In partnership with the Gun Runners, the Mojave Construction Company will provide weapons and ammunition though hunters are welcome to supply their own weaponry. Hunters under contract will gain a 20% discount on Gun Runner merchandise during the period of their employment. Payment will consist of a baseline 10,000 cap fee for a six-month contract, plus 1,000 cap bonuses for every deathclaw skull, cazador poison-gland and nightstalker tail._

- Advert placed by the Mojave Construction Company

"_Having performed and gambled in Vegas before and after the Great War, how do the casinos of New Vegas compare to the old, Mr. Domino?"_

_At this, Domino gave me an odd look, and leaned forward._

"_You've heard stories of the Sierra Madre Casino?" he said._

"_Of course," I replied, puzzled at this change in tack. "We all have."_

_He smiled, and drew on his cigarette. "Then it's best that they remain stories. I'm here to watch Vegas begin again."_

- Excerpt from an article in _The New Vegas Gazette_

"_Good evening, I'm Chloé Morentz. In the wake of the Posthuman Rights Act passing through Congress, which stipulated that no discrimination against posthuman beings such as ghouls and super mutants would be tolerated in any NCR institution, political attention has focused on the reluctance of the NCR Army to admit posthuman beings to its ranks. Ghouls have previously been admitted to the Rangers, but none have so far been allowed to serve in the regular Army. It has been argued by some senior military officers that ghouls and super mutants are unsuitable to serve alongside normal humans due to problems with integration, citing apparent hygiene issues and the difficulty of instilling obedience to authority respectively. Others argued that the strength and toughness of super mutants would make them invaluable as heavy shock troops, whereas ghouls' endurance and experience made them excellent scouts and reconnaissance troops, as evidenced by the exemplary record of ghouls already serving in the Rangers. The debate continues._

_The mayor of Bullhead City has declared an end to the refugee crisis inflicted on the city over the past few months. He congratulated the city's municipal authorities on successfully integrating and rehabilitating the refugees into the general populace, noting that the trickle of people arriving from the East appears to have finally ceased altogether..."_

- Newsreader for Republic Broadcasting Corporation, _The News At Ten_

_Dear Ma,_

_I'm lacking in much to say about my employment with the Happy Trails Caravan. The pay's steady and the food's regular, if left wanting in taste. Being a caravan guard is a much safer occupation than it used to be, which it'll please you to hear. In Nevada, you see Securitrons more than raiders these days, and Utah's been safer than it has been in years. I heard a rumour of "Burned Men" who can't be killed haunting the roads, killing those who prey upon the innocent. To hear some tell it, it's spirits of the wastes. Others say it's something to do with the Legion, though that makes not a whit of sense. My hand's wandering with my mind across the page, so I'll cut to the chase. We're about to embark on the road to Zion Valley to trade with the New Caananites, and I expect an uneventful trip. Anyway, you get some coincidences that lend themselves to the strange on the road. We encountered a lone soul who claimed to be from the Valley itself, a cheerful fellow with a strange name, as is the wont of tribals. Now I've met tribespeople before, nice folk usually. And sure, this guy was nice. He said he was looking for civilised lands. The 'Ennseeyar', the Dam, the place where people would give money to place cards on tables. He said too something about a "thunder-lizard", in which people lived. I can't think what particular thing he was referring to, it sounds like the sort of thing that old No-Bark Noonan would say. Any which way, he said he was looking for a singer. Well, I've still got a couple of contacts in Vegas, so I told him to head for The Tops casino, and tell Swank that Tommy sent him. He thanked me, and went on his way. Like I say, nice fellow._

_Anyway, I'm leaving this letter with the Mojave Express. Chances are I won't get to send another until upon my return. Reliable folk, so I'm sure of mind that you'll receive it in due course. Thinking of you, Tommy x_

- Letter sent to Alice McBride

* * *

Second chapter's up! I hope you enjoy it.

If you wish to see stories about a particular faction/character/area, do say so and I'll see what I can do.


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